Wearable sports guard

ABSTRACT

A wearable guard that provides cut and impact protection. The wearable guard includes a wearable piece of clothing including a cut-resistant material, and at least one pocket for retaining at least one insert over a protected area of a wearer. The wearable guard also includes the insert, which is formed from an impact-resistant material.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to guards, in particularwearable sports guards for the neck and wrist areas, which may provideboth impact and cut protection when playing sports, such as in hockey.

BACKGROUND

Sports, such as the game of ice hockey, are played in sometimesdangerous conditions, such as on an icy surface where two opposing teamstry to move a rubber puck into the opponent's net/goal using hockeysticks. The players often use specialized equipment or implements, andin specialized environments. For example, they may maneuver on the iceusing bladed footwear to skate on the surface. Hockey, for example, maybe a rough sport where the chance of injury may be high. Consequently,injuries from skate blades and other blunt objects may be a potentialthreat to the safety of the players. As such, the development ofprotective gear for this and other sports, or other endeavors whereprotection may be beneficial, is an ongoing process, in order to makefor safer and/or more comfortable activity for the player.

However, there may be a tradeoff between protectiveness and weight ofthe protection. Conventional neck and wrist guards may be bulky, heavyor otherwise less desirable.

SUMMARY

In some aspects there may be provided a wearable guard including awearable piece of clothing including a cut-resistant material at leastin a portion of the clothing to be worn over a protected area of thewearer; the wearable piece of clothing including at least one pocket forretaining at least one insert over the protected area of a wearer; andat least one insert being formed from an impact-resistant material.

In another aspect, the cut-resistant material may have cut-resistanttextile fibers.

In another aspect, the cut-resistant textile fibers comprise one or morefiber types that may be selected from the group consisting of:para-aramid fibers, liquid crystal polymer (LCP) fibers, ultra-highmolecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers, nylon fibers,polyphenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) fibers, glass fibers and steelfibers.

In another aspect, at least one insert may be removably retained by atleast one pocket.

In some embodiments the pocket may include cut-resistant material.

In some embodiments the wearable piece of clothing may be configured tobe worn about a neck, a wrist or on a torso of the wearer.

In other aspects the wearable piece of clothing may be a shirtconfigured to be worn on the torso of the wearer, the cut-resistantmaterial may be provided in at least a neck portion of the shirt, and atleast one insert may be retained at least in the neck portion of theshirt.

In another aspect, the wearable piece of clothing may be a shirtconfigured to be worn on the torso of the wearer, the cut-resistantmaterial may be provided in at least a wrist portion of the shirt, andat least one insert may be retained in at least the wrist portion of theshirt.

In another aspect, the wearable piece of clothing may be a neck guardconfigured to be worn about the neck of the wearer, the cut-resistantmaterial may be provided in at least a neck portion of the neck guard,and at least one insert may be retained in at least the neck portion ofthe neck guard.

In another aspect the neck guard may include at least one of a skirt anda bib which may be configured to be worn over a portion of a torso ofthe wearer, wherein the cut-resistant material may be further providedin at least one of the skirt and the bib, and wherein at least oneinsert may be further retained in the at least one of the skirt and thebib.

In another aspect the wearable piece of clothing may be a wrist guard tobe worn about the wrist of the wearer, the cut-resistant material may beprovided in at least a wrist portion of the wrist guard, and the atleast one insert may be retained at least in the wrist portion of thewrist guard.

In another embodiment the impact-resistant material may be a soft andflexible material capable of absorbing or dispersing energy upon impact.

In another embodiment the insert may be shaped to conform to the neck,wrist or torso of the wearer.

In another embodiment the insert may include a tab designed to protrudefrom at least one pocket when the insert may be inserted in at least onepocket, the tab being graspable for removing the insert from at leastone pocket.

In another embodiment the insert may have a variable thickness, theinsert being thicker in at least one portion of the insert to be wornover a more fragile area of the wearer.

In another embodiment at least one thicker portion may have a thicknessof about 8 mm, and the remainder of the insert may have a thickness ofabout 4 mm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the drawings, which show by way of exampleembodiments of the present disclosure, and in which:

FIGS. 1A-1D show an example embodiment of a wearable guard, in the formof a shirt or undershirt;

FIGS. 2A-2C show another example embodiment of a wearable guard, in theform of a standalone neck guard;

FIG. 3 shows another example embodiment of a wearable guard, in the formof a standalone wrist guard;

FIGS. 4A-4C show examples of construction of a wearable guard;

FIG. 5 shows another example embodiment of a wearable guard, in the formof a standalone neck guard; and

FIGS. 6A-6C show examples of an insertable impact guard suitable for awearable guard.

It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like featuresare identified by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Conventional slash guards for hockey may suffer from one or moredisadvantages. For example, an undershirt with rip-proof materialincluded as a layer in the collar and the cuffs is described in CanadianPatent No. 2,219,072. This undershirt may act as a slash guard for theareas it is meant to protect. However, such a garment does not provideboth impact and slash resistant components.

In the present disclosure, a wearable hockey guard is described, whichmay provide both impact and slash protection. For example, in variousexamples, a wearable guard as disclosed may include a slash-resistantmaterial and may further include impact-resistant materials, such asimpact-resistant inserts that may be retained in pockets in the wearableguard. Such a guard may help to reduce threats from slashing and impactfrom blunt objects at the same time.

In some examples, the present disclosure provides a slash- andimpact-resistant wearable guard. This wearable guard may be in the formof a neck guard that may provide coverage surrounding the neck and/orclavicle region, and may be embodied in various wearable forms. Forexample, such a neck guard may be included in a shirt or an undershirt,which may be provided with a cut-resistant collar, optionally surroundedby a cut-resistant skirt and pockets allowing for the insertion ofimpact-resistant material. In another example, the neck guard may beprovided as a standalone neck guard, such as in the form of a collar,optionally surrounded by a skirt and bib made using cut-resistantmaterial with integrated pockets for impact-resistant inserts. In yetanother example, the wearable guard may be in the form of a wrist guardthat may include cut-resistant material with pockets forimpact-resistant inserts.

In various examples, the slash resistance may be provided by the use ofa cut-resistant material (e.g., a cut-resistant fabric), and the impactresistance may be provide by the use of one or more impact-resistantinserts (e.g., made of an impact-resistant material).

Although the wearable guard may be described as being a hockey guard,such a guard may also be suitable for use in situations where slash andimpact protection may be desirable, such as in other sports or any otheractivity, including non-sports activities. The wearable guard may bedesigned for comfort, usability and/or washability, such as in exampleembodiments designed for use by sports players. The wearable guard maybe designed such that it may be easily worn and removed by the wearer,but may be snug and/or adjustable enough that at least the areas ofprotection does not shift when worn (e.g., during gameplay). Thematerials used in the construction of the guard may be soft, flexible,sweat wicking, and/or anti-microbial so that the guard may be launderedor otherwise easily cleaned. The wearable guard may be easily stretched,twisted and/or bent, for additional comfort during wear and/or to avoidinterfering with the wearer's movements. The impact-resistant insert maybe designed to be removable from the wearable guard, so that the guardmay be laundered without the insert.

FIGS. 1A-1D show an example embodiment of a wearable guard in accordancewith the present disclosure. In this example, the wearable guard may bein the form of a shirt or undershirt 100 wearable on the torso of awearer, to cover the torso and arms of the wearer. FIG. 1A shows a frontview of the shirt 100, FIG. 1B shows a close-up view of the front of theneck portion of the shirt 100, FIG. 1C shows a close-up view of the backof the neck portion of the shirt 100, and FIG. 1D shows a close-up viewof the wrist portion of the shirt 100.

The shirt 100 may include a neck opening 105, a torso opening 110, andhand openings 115. The neck opening 105 may be adjustable (e.g.,sufficiently elastic or with adjustable fasteners) to allow for a rangeof head sizes to pass, for example. Similarly, the torso opening 110 andthe hand openings 115 may be adjustable to fit the wearer. The shirt 100may largely (e.g., the majority of the torso and sleeve regions) be madeof any suitable material for a sport garment including, for example,cotton, spandex, or other suitable material.

The shirt 100 may include a neck guard 120 positioned to be worn aboutthe wearer's neck. The neck guard 120 may provide cut protection, impactprotection or both. In the example of FIGS. 1A-1D, the neck guard 120may provide both cut and impact protection.

The neck guard 120 may be configured to substantially surround thewearer's neck when worn, and may define the neck opening 105 of theshirt 100. In the example shown, the neck guard 120 may include afastener 125 for fastening the neck guard 120 about the wearer's neckwhen worn. The fastener 125 may be, for example, a hook-and-loopfastener, a snap, a button, a magnet or a zipper, among others. In theexample shown, the fastener 125 may be a hook-and-loop fastener, such asVelcro. The fastener 125 may be adjustable to fit different neck sizesand to allow the neck guard 120 to fit snugly against the wearer's neck.Alternatively, the neck guard 120 may include an elastic material suchthat the neck guard 120 can be pulled over the wearer's head and may fitsnugly against the wearer's neck with or without the use of a fastener125.

The neck guard 120 may define two or more regions, such as a collar 121that may be worn about the wearer's neck, a skirt 122 that may extendfrom the collar 121 and may be worn over a portion of the wearer'sclavicle, and a bib 123 that may extend from the skirt 122 and may beworn over a front portion of the wearer's torso. Other configurationsfor the neck guard 120 may be possible, for example the neck guard 120may only include the collar 121, or may only include the collar 121 andskirt 122. The sizes and configurations of the collar 121, skirt 122and/or bib 123 may be adjusted to cover more or less of the wearer, andmay vary depending on the amount of slash and impact protection desired,for example.

The neck guard 120 may be permanently attached to the shirt 100 (e.g.,formed integrally with the body of the shirt 100 or stitched onto theshirt 100), as in FIGS. 1A-1D, or may be removably attached to the shirt100 (e.g., using suitable fasteners, such as a hook-and-loop fastener, asnap, a button or a zipper, among others).

The neck guard 120 may include a cut-resistant material, such ascut-resistant textile fibers, such as para-aramid fibers, liquid crystalpolymer (LCP) fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)fibers, nylon fibers, polyphenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) fibers, glassfibers and steel fibers, among others. For example, the cut-resistantmaterial may be integrally formed with (e.g., knitted into or meltedonto) all or a portion of the neck guard 120 and/or may be otherwiseattached (e.g., separately formed and subsequently attached) to all or aportion of the neck guard 120. The cut-resistant material may be afabric made of spun cut-resistant yarn or any suitable cut-resistanttextile fibers, such as those listed above. The cut-resistant materialmay be provided only on one surface of the neck guard 120, for exampleon a surface of the neck guard 120 that is to be worn facing towards thewearer (also referred to as the inner side) or on a surface of the neckguard 120 that is to be worn facing away from the wearer (also referredto as the outer side), or may be provided on both the inner and outersides. Where the cut-resistant material is attached to the neck guard120, the cut-resistant material may be permanently attached (e.g., sewnon) or removably attached (e.g., attached by a hook-and-loop fastener).

Impact resistance of the neck guard 120 may be provided by the presenceof an impact protector 135. The impact protector 135 may be retained bythe neck guard 120 using a retainer, such as a pocket 130. The pocket130 in FIGS. 1A-1D is illustrated in the collar 121 of the neck guard120, however one or more similar pockets may be alternatively oradditionally provided in the skirt 122 and/or the bib 123 of the neckguard. For example, the collar 121 may include a single pocket 130configured to hold an impact protector 135 to cover a portion, amajority or substantially the entire length of the collar 121.Similarly, a single pocket 130 may span the skirt 122 and the bib 123and may be configured to hold an impact protector 135 to cover aportion, a majority or substantially the entire area of the skirt 122and the bib 123. In some examples, multiple pockets 130 may be providedto each retain a respective impact protector 135, to cover differentportions of the neck guard 120. The impact protector(s) 135 may be sizedand shaped to match the size and shape of the respective pocket(s) 130in which the impact protector(s) 135 are retained.

The pocket(s) 130 may be formed by a double layer of material in theneck guard 120, such as by stitching together two or more layers ofmaterial, or by folding over the material of the neck guard 120. Thepocket(s) 130 may also be formed by attaching (e.g., sewing, knitting orgluing) a piece of material to the inner or outer side of the neck guard120, for example.

The impact protector(s) 135 may include an impact-protecting material.The impact protector(s) 135 may be removably or permanently retained inthe pocket(s) 130. For example, the impact protector(s) 135 may beinsertable and removable from the pocket(s) 130 or the impactprotector(s) 135 may be sewn into or otherwise permanently retained bythe pocket(s) 130.

Where the impact protector(s) 135 is removable from the pocket(s) 130,the pocket(s) 130 may include a fastener (not shown) (e.g., ahook-and-loop fastener, a zipper, a snap, a button or a magnet, amongothers) to close the pocket(s) 130 in order to retain the impactprotector(s) 135 in the pocket 130. Alternatively, the pocket(s) 130 andthe retained impact protector(s) 135 may be sufficiently held againstthe wearer's body (e.g., by elasticity of the neck guard 120) and/or theretained impact protector(s) 135 may be shaped and/or sized relative tothe opening of the pocket(s) 130 (e.g., the impact protector(s) 135 maybe larger than the opening of the respective pocket(s) 130) such that afastener is not required to keep the impact protector(s) 135 retained inthe pocket(s) 130. The pocket(s) 130 may include additional elasticfeatures, such as Lycra binding, to help fit the impact protector(s) 135snugly about the wearer's body when worn.

Although FIGS. 1A-1D show the neck guard 120 as including asubstantially tubular collar 121, a surrounding skirt 122 and a frontbib 123, the neck guard 120 may have other regular or irregularconfigurations. For example, the neck guard 120 may be configured tocover more of the back of the wearer's neck than the front, or viceversa, to offer greater protection where the wearer's neck may be moresusceptible to injury, for example. The neck guard 120 may also includestiffeners (not shown) (e.g., as additional inserts and/or integratedinto the neck guard 120) to help keep the neck guard 120 snug againstthe wearer's neck and prevent the neck guard 120 from slipping orfolding over during wear. The neck guard 120 may be thicker (e.g., usingthicker impact protector(s) 135) in one or more portions (e.g.,corresponding to the front or back of the wearer's neck) than others, tooffer greater protection where the wearer's neck may be more susceptibleto injury, for example.

The shirt 100 may further include a wrist guard 140 positioned tosubstantially surround each of the wearer's wrists and/or a portion ofthe wearer's forearms. The wrist guard 140 may provide cut protection,impact protection or both. In the example of FIGS. 1A-1D, the wristguard 140 may provide both cut and impact protection.

The wrist guard 140 may be configured to substantially surround each ofthe wearer's wrists and/or a portion of the wearer's forearms when worn,and may define the hand openings 115 of the shirt 100. The wrist guard140 may include a fastener 141 for fastening the wrist guard 140 aboutthe wearer's wrist and/or forearm when worn. The fastener 141 may be,for example, a hook-and-loop fastener, a snap, a button, a magnet or azipper, among others. The fastener 141 may be adjustable to fitdifferent hand and wrist sizes and to allow the wrist guard 140 to fitsnugly against the wearer's wrist and/or forearm. The wrist guard 140may be elastic such that the wrist guard 140 can be pulled over thewearer's hand and fit snugly against the wearer's wrist and/or forearmwith or without the use of a fastener 141.

The wrist guard 140 may be permanently attached to the shirt 100 (e.g.,formed integrally with the body of the shirt 100 or stitched onto theshirt 100), as in FIGS. 1A-1D, or may be removably attached to the shirt100 (e.g., using suitable fasteners, such as a hook-and-loop fastener, asnap, a button or a zipper, among others).

The wrist guard 140 may include a cut-resistant material, such as anysuitable cut-resistant textile fibers, such as para-aramid fibers, LCPfibers, UHMWPE fibers, nylon fibers, PBO fibers, glass fibers and steelfibers, among others. For example, the cut-resistant material may beintegrally formed with (e.g., knitted into or melted onto) all or aportion of the wrist guard 140 and/or may be attached (e.g., separatelyformed and subsequently attached) to all or a portion of the wrist guard140. The cut-resistant material may be a fabric made of spuncut-resistant yarn or any suitable cut-resistant textile fibers, such asthose listed above. The cut-resistant material may be provided only onone surface of the wrist guard 140, for example on a surface of thewrist guard 140 that is to be worn facing towards the wearer (alsoreferred to as the inner side) or on a surface of the wrist guard 140that is to be worn facing away from the wearer (also referred to as theouter side), or may be provided on both the inner and outer sides. Wherethe cut-resistant material is attached to the wrist guard 140, thecut-resistant material may be permanently attached (e.g., sewn on) orremovably attached (e.g., attached by a hook-and-loop fastener).

Impact resistance of the wrist guard 140 may be provided by the presenceof an impact protector 150. The impact protector 150 may be retained bythe wrist guard 140 using a retainer, such as a pocket 145. The pocket145 in FIGS. 1A-1D is shown to extend over the majority or substantiallyall of the wrist guard 140. A single impact protector 150 may beretained in the pocket 145 to cover the majority or substantially all ofthe wearer's wrist and/or a portion of the forearm. Alternatively,multiple pockets 145 may be provided to each retain a respective impactprotector 150, to cover multiple portions of the wrist guard 140. Theimpact protector(s) 150 may be sized and shaped to match the size andshape of the respective pocket(s) 145 in which the impact protector(s)150 are retained.

The pocket(s) 145 may be formed by a double layer of material in thewrist guard 140, such as by stitching together two or more layers ofmaterial, or by folding over the material of the wrist guard 140. Thepocket(s) 145 may also be formed by attaching (e.g., sewing, knitting orgluing) a piece of material to the inner or outer side of the wristguard 140, for example.

The impact protector(s) 150 may include an impact-protecting material,which may be any material that is suitable soft and/or flexible, forexample with molecules that lock together to absorb and/or disperseenergy upon impact. This material may be in the form of a foam, non-foamor rubber, among others. The impact protector(s) 150 of the wrist guard140 may be made of a similar material as the impact protector(s) 135 ofthe neck guard 120. The impact protector(s) 150 may be removably orpermanently retained in the pocket(s) 145 to substantially surround thewearer's wrist and/or portion of forearm. For example, the impactprotector(s) 150 may be insertable and removable from the pocket(s) 145or the impact protector(s) 150 may be sewn into or otherwise permanentlyretained by the pocket(s) 145.

Where the impact protector(s) 150 is removable from the pocket(s) 145,the pocket(s) 145 may include a fastener (not shown) (e.g., ahook-and-loop fastener, a zipper, a snap, a button or a magnet, amongothers) to close the pocket(s) 145 in order to retain the impactprotector(s) 150 in the pocket(s) 145. Alternatively, the pocket(s) 145and the retained impact protector(s) 150 may be sufficiently heldagainst the wearer's wrist and/or forearm (e.g., by elasticity of thewrist guard 140) and/or the retained impact protector(s) 150 may beshaped and/or sized relative to the opening of the pocket(s) 145 (e.g.,the impact protector(s) 150 may be larger than the opening of therespective pocket(s) 145) such that a fastener is not required to retainthe impact protector(s) 150 in the pocket(s) 145. The pocket(s) 145 mayinclude additional elastic features, such as Lycra binding, to help fitthe impact protector(s) 150 snugly about the wearer's wrist and/orforearm when worn.

Although FIGS. 1A-1D show a wrist guard 140 on each of the two sleevesof the shirt 100, in other examples the shirt 100 may include only onewrist guard 140 on one sleeve (e.g., where only one wrist and/or forearmof the wearer is susceptible to injury).

Although FIGS. 1A-1 D show the wrist guard 140 as having a substantiallytubular configuration, the wrist guard 140 may have other regular orirregular configurations. For example, the wrist guard 140 may beconfigured to cover more of the back of the wearer's inner wrist thanthe outer wrist, or vice versa, to offer greater protection where thewearer's wrist may be more susceptible to injury, for example. The wristguard 140 may also include stiffeners (not shown) (e.g., as additionalinserts and/or integrally formed in the wrist guard 140) to help keepthe wrist guard 140 snug against the wearer's wrist and/or forearm andprevent the wrist guard 140 from slipping or folding over during wear.The wrist guard 140 may be thicker (e.g., using thicker impactprotector(s) 150) in one or more portions (e.g., corresponding to theinner or outer side of the wearer's wrist/forearm) than others, to offergreater protection where the wearer's wrist and/or forearm may be moresusceptible to injury, for example.

FIGS. 2A-2C show another example embodiment of the disclosed wearableguard. In this example, the wearable guard may be in the form of astandalone neck guard 200. FIG. 2A shows an inner side of the neck guard200, in an unfastened configuration, FIG. 2B shows a front view of theneck guard 200, in a fastened configuration, and FIG. 2C shows a backview of the neck guard 200, in a fastened configuration. The neck guard200 may provide cut protection, impact protection or both. In theexample of FIGS. 2A-2C, the neck guard 200 may provide both cut andimpact protection.

The neck guard 200 may include a neck opening 205. The neck opening 205may be adjustable (e.g., sufficiently elastic or with adjustablefasteners) to allow for a range of head sizes to pass, for example.

The neck guard 200 may be similar to the neck guard 120 described above.The neck guard 200 may be configured to substantially surround thewearer's neck when worn. In the example shown, the neck guard 200 mayinclude a fastener 225 for fastening the neck guard 200 about thewearer's neck when worn. The fastener 225 may be, for example, ahook-and-loop fastener, a snap, a button, a magnet or a zipper, amongothers. In the example shown, the fastener 225 may be a hook-and-loopfastener, such as Velcro. The fastener 225 may be adjustable to fitdifferent neck sizes and to allow the neck guard 200 to fit snuglyagainst the wearer's neck. In some examples, the neck guard 200 mayinclude an elastic material such that the neck guard 200 can be pulledover the wearer's head and may fit snugly against the wearer's neck withor without the use of a fastener 225.

The neck guard 200 may define two or more regions, such as a collar 221that may be worn about the wearer's neck, a skirt 222 that may extendfrom the collar 221 and may be worn over a portion of the wearer'sclavicle, and a bib 223 that may extend from the skirt 222 and may beworn over a front portion of the wearer's torso. Other configurationsfor the neck guard 200 may be possible, for example the neck guard 200may only include the collar 221, or may only include the collar 221 andskirt 222. The sizes and configurations of the collar 221, skirt 222and/or bib 223 may be adjusted to cover more or less of the wearer, andmay vary depending on the amount of cut and impact protection desired,for example.

The neck guard 200 may include a cut-resistant material, such ascut-resistant textile fibers, such as para-aramid fibers, LCP fibers,UHMWPE fibers, nylon fibers, PBO fibers, glass fibers and steel fibers,among others. For example, the cut-resistant material may be integrallyformed with (e.g., knitted into or melted onto) all or a portion of theneck guard 200 and/or may be attached (e.g., separately formed andsubsequently attached) to all or a portion of the neck guard 200. Thecut-resistant material may be a fabric made of spun cut-resistant yarnor any suitable cut-resistant textile fibers, such as those listedabove. The cut-resistant material may be provided only on one surface ofthe neck guard 200, for example on a surface of the neck guard 200 thatis to be worn facing towards the wearer (also referred to as the innerside) or on a surface of the neck guard 200 that is to be worn facingaway from the wearer (also referred to as the outer side), or may beprovided on both the inner and outer sides. Where the cut-resistantmaterial is attached to the neck guard 200, the cut-resistant materialmay be permanently attached (e.g., sewn on) or removably attached (e.g.,attached by a hook-and-loop fastener).

Impact resistance of the neck guard 200 may be provided by the presenceof an impact protector 235. The impact protector 235 may be retained bythe neck guard 200 using a retainer, such as one or more pockets 230.FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a pocket 230 provided in each of the collar 221,the skirt 222 and the bib 223. In other examples, one or more pockets230 may span one or more of the collar 221, the skirt 222 and the bib223. In some examples, the collar 221 may include a single pocket 230configured to hold an impact protector 235 to cover a portion, amajority or substantially the entire length of the collar 221.Similarly, the skirt 222 may include a single pocket 230 configured tohold an impact protector 235 to cover a portion, a majority orsubstantially the entire area of the skirt 222; and the bib 223 mayinclude a single pocket 230 configured to hold an impact protector 235to cover a portion, a majority or substantially the entire area of thebib 223. Multiple pockets 230 may be provided to each retain arespective impact protector 235, to cover different portions of the neckguard 200. Alternatively, the neck guard 200 may include a single pocket230 for retaining an impact protector 235 over a portion, a majority orsubstantially all of the neck guard 200. The impact protector(s) 235 maybe sized and shaped to match the size and shape of the respectivepocket(s) 230 in which the impact protector(s) 235 are retained.

The pocket(s) 230 may be formed by a double layer of material in theneck guard 200, such as by stitching together two or more layers ofmaterial, or by folding over the material of the neck guard 200. Thepocket(s) 230 may also be formed by attaching (e.g., sewing, knitting orgluing) a piece of material to the inner or outer side of the neck guard200, for example.

The impact protector(s) 235 may include an impact-protecting material,which may be any material that is suitable soft and/or flexible, forexample with molecules that lock together to absorb and/or disperseenergy upon impact. This material may be in the form of a foam, non-foamor rubber, among others. The impact protector(s) 235 may be made of amaterial similar to that of the impact protector(s) 135, 150 of theshirt 100 described above The impact protector(s) 235 may be removablyor permanently retained in the pocket(s) 230. For example, the impactprotector(s) 235 may be insertable and removable from the pocket(s) 230or the impact protector(s) 235 may be sewn into or otherwise permanentlyretained by the pocket(s) 230.

Where the impact protector(s) 235 is removable from the pocket(s) 230,the pocket(s) 230 may include a fastener (not shown) (e.g., ahook-and-loop fastener, a zipper, a snap, a button or a magnet, amongothers) to close the pocket(s) 230 in order to retain the impactprotector(s) 235 in the pocket 230. Alternatively, the pocket(s) 230 andthe retained impact protector(s) 235 may be sufficiently held againstthe wearer's body (e.g., by elasticity of the neck guard 200) and/or theretained impact protector(s) 235 may be shaped and/or sized relative tothe opening of the pocket(s) 230 (e.g., the impact protector(s) 235 maybe larger than the opening of the respective pocket(s) 230) such that afastener is not required to retain the impact protector(s) 235 in thepocket(s) 230. The pocket(s) 230 may include additional elasticfeatures, such as Lycra binding, to help fit the impact protector(s) 235snugly about the wearer's body when worn.

Although FIGS. 2A-2C show the neck guard 200 as including asubstantially tubular collar 221, a surrounding skirt 222 and a frontbib 223, the neck guard 200 may have other regular or irregularconfigurations. For example, the neck guard 200 may be configured tocover more of the back of the wearer's neck than the front, or viceversa, to offer greater protection where the wearer's neck may be moresusceptible to injury, for example. Although the skirt 222 and bib 223have been described as being configured to cover the clavicle and fronttorso portion of the wearer when worn, other configurations for theskirt 222 and bib 223 is possible. For example, the skirt 222 and bib223 may be configured to cover a back portion or both front and backportions of the wearer's torso when worn. The skirt 222 and bib 223 maybe further configured to cover one or more shoulder portions of thewearer when worn.

The neck guard 200 may also include stiffeners (not shown) (e.g., asadditional inserts and/or integrated into the material of the neck guard200) to help keep the neck guard 200 snug against the wearer's body andprevent the neck guard 220 from slipping or folding over during wear.The neck guard 200 may be thicker (e.g., using thicker impactprotector(s) 235) in one or more portions (e.g., corresponding to thefront or back of the wearer's neck) than others, to offer greaterprotection where the wearer's neck may be more susceptible to injury,for example.

FIG. 5 shows another example embodiment of the disclosed wearable guard,in the form of a standalone neck guard 200 b. The neck guard 200 b mayinclude features similar to those of the neck guard 200 described above.

The neck guard 200 b may include an inner layer of material and an outerlayer of material at least in the collar 221 b. The inner and outerlayers may be made of different materials and/or configured fordifferent uses. For example, the outer layer of the neck guard 200 b maybe made of a cut-resistant material, as described above. The inner layerof the neck guard 200 b may be made of a material designed for comfort,such as a Coolmax material and/or a soft and/or anti-microbial knitmaterial, for example. The skirt 222 b and/or bib 223 b may be a singlelayer, and may be made of a cut-resistant material, as described above.

There may be two or more openings defined for a pocket 230 b in thecollar 221 b. For example, there may be an opening (e.g., a buttonholeshaped opening) defined in the inner layer of the collar 221 b, and anadditional opening may be defined in the outer layer (e.g., along theneckline of the collar 221 b, in the front of the neck guard 200 b) forinserting the impact protector 235 b. In the example shown, the impactprotector 235 b may be designed to better fit younger hockey players.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3, showing another example embodiment ofthe disclosed wearable guard. In this example, the wearable guard may bein the form of a standalone wrist guard 300 configured to be worn abouta wearer's wrist and/or forearm. The wrist guard 300 may be cutresistant, slash resistant, or both. In the example of FIG. 3, the wristguard 300 may be both cut and slash resistant.

The wrist guard 300 may be similar to the wrist guard 140 describedabove. The wrist guard 300 may be configured to substantially surroundeach of the wearer's wrists and/or a portion of the wearer's forearmswhen worn. The wrist guard 300 may include a fastener 341 for fasteningthe wrist guard 300 about the wearer's wrist and/or forearm when worn.The fastener 341 may be, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener, a snap,a button, a magnet or a zipper, among others. The fastener 341 may beadjustable to fit different hand and wrist sizes and to allow the wristguard 300 to fit snugly against the wearer's wrist and/or forearm. Thewrist guard 300 may be elastic such that the wrist guard 300 can bepulled over the wearer's hand and fit snugly against the wearer's wristand/or forearm with or without the use of a fastener 341.

The wrist guard 300 may include a cut-resistant material, such ascut-resistant textile fibers, such as para-aramid fibers, LCP fibers,UHMWPE fibers, nylon fibers, PBO fibers, glass fibers and steel fibers,among others. For example, the cut-resistant material may be integrallyformed with (e.g., knitted into) all or a portion of the wrist guard 300and/or may be attached to all or a portion of the wrist guard 300. Thecut-resistant material may be a fabric made of spun cut-resistant yarnor any suitable cut-resistant textile fibers, such as those listedabove. The cut-resistant material may be provided only on one surface ofthe wrist guard 300, for example on a surface of the wrist guard 300that is to be worn facing towards the wearer (also referred to as theinner side) or on a surface of the wrist guard 300 that is to be wornfacing away from the wearer (also referred to as the outer side), or maybe provided on both the inner and outer sides. Where the cut-resistantmaterial is attached to the wrist guard 300, the cut-resistant materialmay be permanently attached (e.g., sewn on) or removably attached (e.g.,attached by a hook-and-loop fastener).

Impact resistance of the wrist guard 300 may be provided by the presenceof an impact protector 350. The impact protector 350 may be retained bythe wrist guard 300 using a retainer, such as a pocket 345. The pocket345 in FIG. 3 is shown to extend over the majority or substantially allof the wrist guard 300. A single impact protector 350 may be retained inthe pocket 345 to cover the majority or substantially all of thewearer's wrist and/or a portion of the forearm. Alternatively, multiplepockets 345 may be provided to each retain a respective impact protector350, to cover different portions of the wrist guard 300. The impactprotector(s) 350 may be sized and shaped to match the size and shape ofthe respective pocket(s) 345 in which the impact protector(s) 350 areretained.

The pocket(s) 345 may be formed by a double layer of material in thewrist guard 300, such as by stitching together two or more layers ofmaterial, or by folding over the material of the wrist guard 300. Thepocket(s) 345 may also be formed by attaching (e.g., sewing, knitting orgluing) a piece of material to the inner or outer side of the wristguard 300, for example.

The impact protector(s) 350 may include an impact-protecting material,which may be any material that is suitable soft and/or flexible, forexample with molecules that lock together to absorb and/or disperseenergy upon impact. This material may be in the form of a foam, non-foamor rubber, among others. The impact protector(s) 350 of the wrist guard300 may be made of a similar material as the impact protector(s) 135,150 and 235 described above. The impact protector(s) 350 may beremovably or permanently retained in the pocket(s) 345 to substantiallysurround the wearer's wrist and/or portion of forearm. For example, theimpact protector(s) 350 may be insertable and removable from thepocket(s) 345 or the impact protector(s) 350 may be sewn into orotherwise permanently retained by the pocket(s) 345.

Where the impact protector(s) 350 is removable from the pocket(s) 345,the pocket(s) 345 may include a fastener (not shown) (e.g., ahook-and-loop fastener, a zipper, a snap, a button or a magnet, amongothers) to close the pocket(s) 345 in order to retain the impactprotector(s) 350 in the pocket(s) 345. Alternatively, the pocket(s) 345and the retained impact protector(s) 350 may be sufficiently heldagainst the wearer's wrist and/or forearm (e.g., by elasticity of thewrist guard 300) and/or the retained impact protector(s) 350 may beshaped and/or sized relative to the opening of the pocket(s) 345 (e.g.,the impact protector(s) 350 may be larger than the opening of therespective pocket(s) 345) such that a fastener is not required to retainthe impact protector(s) 350 in the pocket(s) 345. The pocket(s) 345 mayinclude additional elastic features, such as Lycra binding, to help fitthe impact protector(s) 350 snugly about the wearer's wrist and/orforearm when worn.

Although FIG. 3 shows the wrist guard 300 as having a substantiallytubular configuration, the wrist guard 300 may have other regular orirregular configurations. For example, the wrist guard 300 may beconfigured to cover more of the back of the wearer's inner wrist thanthe outer wrist, or vice versa, to offer greater protection where thewearer's wrist may be more susceptible to injury, for example. The wristguard 300 may also include stiffeners (not shown) (e.g., as additionalinserts and/or integrated into the material of the wrist guard 300) tohelp keep the wrist guard 300 snug against the wearer's wrist and/orforearm and prevent the wrist guard 300 from slipping or folding overduring wear. The wrist guard 300 may be thicker (e.g., using thickerimpact protector(s) 250) in one or more portions (e.g., corresponding tothe inner or outer side of the wearer's wrist/forearm) than others, tooffer greater protection where the wearer's wrist and/or forearm may bemore susceptible to injury, for example.

FIGS. 4A-4C show examples of the construction of an example neck guard200. Although not shown, other embodiments of the wearable guard, suchas the shirt 100, the neck guard 200 b and the wrist guard 300, may havesimilar construction.

In FIG. 4A, the neck guard 200 may be constructed from a single piece ofknit material with integrated pocket(s) 230, and may be made from asingle-layered material. FIG. 4A shows a front view (upper figure) and aback view (lower figure) of the neck guard 200, in an unfastenedconfiguration. The cut-resistant material may be integrally formed with(e.g., knitted into or melted onto) the material. The pocket(s) 230 maybe attached to the neck guard 200 (e.g., sewn or separately knitted) inthe collar 221, skirt 222 and/or bib 223 of the neck guard 200,depending on the configuration. The fastener 225 may be attached (e.g.,separately knitted or sewn), and any other embellishments (e.g., a logo,a tag or other components) may also be attached (e.g., separatelyknitted, transferred, sewn and/or embroidered).

In FIG. 4B, the neck guard 200 may be constructed as a knit piece withmultiple types of yarn, and may be multi-layered. FIG. 4B shows the neckguard 200 in a pre-assembled configuration, before the knit piece issewn together. In this example, the neck guard 200 may include an outerlayer 405 that forms the surface facing away from the wearer, and aninner layer 410 that forms the surface facing towards the wearer. Theouter layer 405 may be made (e.g., knitted) using a first yarn materialand the inner layer 410 may be made (e.g., knitted) using a differentsecond yarn material. For example, the outer layer 405 may be knit witha cut-resistant yarn and may provide cut protection, while the innerlayer 410 may be knit with a softer, more comfortable and/orsweat-wicking yarn. For example, the yarn may include a cut-resistantfibers, such as para-aramid, LCP, UHMWPE, nylon, PBO, glass fibers andsteel fibers, among others. The outer and inner layers 405, 410 may beknit as a single piece of material, for example, that may besubsequently folded and sewn together to form the multi-layers of theneck guard 200. The pocket(s) 230 may be integrally formed (e.g., byknitting) with the outer or inner layer 405, 410, or may be separatelyattached (e.g., sewn on).

In FIG. 4C, the neck guard 200 may be made by having all the componentscut as separate pieces and attached (e.g., sewn) together to form amulti-layered neck guard 200. FIG. 4C shows the neck guard 200 in apre-assembled configuration, before the separate pieces are sewntogether. In this example, the cut resistant material 415 may beprovided as a separate piece that may be attached as the outer layer405, inner layer 410 or sandwiched between the outer and inner layers405, 410 of the neck guard 200. The pocket(s) 230 may be integrallyformed (e.g., by knitting) with the outer or inner layer 405, 410, ormay be separately attached (e.g., sewn on).

The shirt 100, the neckguard 200 b and the wrist guard 300 may besimilarly formed in single-layered or multi-layered configurations. Theshirt 100 may be constructed by forming the neck guard 120, such asdescribed above, and attaching (e.g., sewing or knitting) the neck guard120 onto the torso of the shirt 100. Where the neck guard 120 isremovable from the shirt 100 (e.g., to allow for easy laundering),appropriate complementary fastening component (e.g., complementarycomponents of a hook-and-loop fastener, buttons, snaps, magnets or azipper) may be attached to the neck guard 120 and shirt torso.

In some examples, the neck guard 120, 200, 200 b the wrist guard 140,300, and/or the shirt 100 may be made in part or entirely of acut-resistant material. This material may be provided as an inner layeror outer layer of the wearable guard, and may also be sandwiched betweenother layers. In some examples, the wearable guard may be easilystretchable, for example because the cut-resistant material may beknitted. In comparison with a woven fabric, a knitted material may beformed by linked loops that may allow for greater strechability, withoutthe addition of elastic fibers.

In some examples, the cut-resistant material may be knitted using a yarnthat includes a blend of components combining the advantages of variousfibers. For example, the cut-resistant material may include a mixture ofcut-resistance, anti-microbial, sweat-wicking and/or stretchable fibersmixed into a single yarn blend. Such a yarn blend may providecut-resistance, anti-microbial, sweat-wicking and/or stretchableproperties, and may be used to make portions or the entirety of thewearable guard.

FIGS. 6A-6C show other example impact protectors 600 a, 600 b, 600 cthat may be suitable for use in a wearable guard, such as the neck guard120, 200, 200 b. In these examples, the impact protectors 600 a, 600 b,600 c may be shaped to conform to the area of the wearer to beprotected, in this case to the neck of the wearer. The impact protectors600 a, 600 c may be contoured, for example along a top edge 605 (e.g.,having a scoop shape) and side edges 610, to accommodate the shape ofthe neck, to allow for better fit, comfort and/or functionality whenworn. Although certain contours and shapes are shown, otherconfigurations may be possible (e.g., where the side regions of theimpact protector 600 a, 600 b, 600 c are further raised) as suitable.The impact protectors 600 a, 600 b, 600 c may also include one or moreperforations 615, which may help to decrease the weight of the impactprotectors 600 a, 600 b, 600 c and/or increase breathability of the 600a, 600 b, 600 c, while maintaining impact protection.

The impact protectors 600 a, 600 b, 600 c may include a protrusion thatmay cover the wearer's clavicle area when worn, which may provideprotection over the wearer's clavicle area. The protrusion may extendfrom the pocket(s) 230, 230 b of the neck guard 120, 200, 200 b when theimpact protector 600 a, 600 b, 600 c is inserted, and may help to keepthe impact protector 600 a, 600 b, 600 c in place within the pocket(s)230, 230 b and/or may serve as a tab that can be grasped to assist inremoving the impact protector 600 a, 600 b, 600 c from the pocket(s)230, 230 b (e.g., in order to replace the impact protector 600 a, 600 b,600 c or to remove the impact protector 600 a, 600 b, 600 c prior towashing the neck guard 120, 200, 200 b).

The thickness of the impact protector 600 a, 600 b, 600 c may besubstantially constant throughout or may be variable. For example,different portions of the impact protector 600 a, 600 b, 600 c may havedifferent thicknesses, in order to provide added protection whereappropriate without being unnecessarily bulky where added protection isnot needed. In some examples, the impact protector 600 b, 600 c mayinclude a central portion 620 (which may be worn over the wearer'strachea region) and/or side portions 625 (which may be worn over theside of the wearer's neck) that are thicker (e.g., about 6-10 mm, suchas about 8 mm thick) compared to the remainder of the impact protector600 b, 600 c (which may be about 2-6 mm, such as about 4 mm thick).

In some examples, the wearable guard may provide cut protection, impactprotection, or both. For example, the neck guard 120, 200, 200 b may notbe made of a cut-resistant material, but may retain the impact protector135, 235, 235 b such that the neck guard 120, 200, 200 b provides impactprotection. Similarly, the wrist guard 140, 300 may provide cutprotection, impact protection, or both. For example, the wrist guard140, 300 may not be made of a cut-resistant material, but may retain theimpact protector 150, 350, such that the wrist guard 140, 300 providesimpact protection.

In some examples, where the wearable guard is provided as a standaloneneck guard 200, 200 b or a standalone wrist guard 300, the wearableguard may be configured to be worn over or under conventional sportswear (e.g., over or under a conventional hockey shirt) and/or may beconfigured to be attachable (e.g., using hook-and-loop fasteners) toconventional sports wear.

The neck guard 120, 200, 200 b and/or the wrist guard 140, 300 mayinclude multiple retainers (e.g., pockets 130, 145, 230, 230 b, 345) andmultiple impact protectors 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350. In some examples,the number of pockets 130, 145, 230, 230 b, 345 may be greater than thenumber of impact protectors 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350. This may allowfor different placement of the impact protector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b,350 according to the wearer's choosing. Multiple pockets 130, 145, 230,230 b, 345 may also allow for placement of different types of impactprotector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 at different positions and/orreplacement of a impact protector 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 withoutreplacing all impact protectors 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 (e.g., wherean impact protector 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 at a certain location ismore susceptible to damage).

In some examples, the impact protector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 mayinclude two or more layers of material, including layers of differentmaterials. This may be useful to impart the impact protector(s) 135,150, 235, 235 b, 350 with multiple properties (e.g., different ranges ofimpact and/or cut protection, certain amount of stiffness, etc.) thatmay be difficult to attain using a single material. In some examples,the impact protector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 may include a mixed orcomposite material.

The pocket(s) 130, 145, 230, 230 b, 345 may also be used to retainmaterials other than impact protector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350. Forexample, other materials that may be retained by the pocket(s) 130, 145,230, 230 b, 345 include, for example, cooling or heating materials,sweat-absorbing materials, and odor-absorbing materials, among others.Such other materials may be included as a fiber and/or as a finishing inthe yarn used, for example.

Where the impact protector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 are removablyretained in the pocket(s) 130, 145, 230, 230 b, 345, the impactprotector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 may be removed during washing ofthe shirt 100, neck guard 200, 200 b or wrist guard 300, to replace anold or damaged impact protector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 and/or toinsert a different material into the pocket(s) 130, 145, 230, 230 b,345, for example.

The impact protector(s) 135, 150, 235, 235 b, 350 may be made of animpact-resistant material that may withstand impact forces expected tobe experienced by a player in a contact sport (e.g., hockey), forexample sufficient to satisfy safety standards, such as the CAN/BNQ9415-370/2007 standard. Such a material may be developed specificallyfor this purpose, or may be developed for other uses (and may bemodified, such as in shape and/or density, for use according to thepresent disclosure). For example, such a material may be designed to berelatively pliable, to be comfortable when worn, relatively breathable,lightweight and/or washable.

Different materials, whether woven, non-woven, knitted or otherwiseformed, may be used throughout the wearable guard as appropriate. Otherforms of the wearable guard (e.g., sleeve or vest) may be suitable inaddition to those described.

The embodiments of the present disclosure described above are intendedto be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations to thedisclosure may be made without departing from the intended scope of thepresent disclosure. In particular, selected features from one or more ofthe above-described embodiments may be combined to create alternativeembodiments not explicitly described. All values and sub-ranges withindisclosed ranges are also disclosed. The subject matter described hereinintends to cover and embrace all suitable changes in technology. Allreferences mentioned are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

1. A wearable guard comprising: a wearable piece of clothing including acut-resistant material at least in a portion of the clothing to be wornover a protected area of the wearer; the wearable piece of clothingincluding at least one pocket for retaining at least one insert over theprotected area of a wearer; and the at least one insert being formedfrom an impact-resistant material.
 2. The wearable guard of claim 1wherein the cut-resistant material comprises cut-resistant textilefibers.
 3. The wearable guard of claim 2 wherein the cut-resistanttextile fibers comprise one or more fiber types selected from the groupconsisting of: para-aramid fibers, liquid crystal polymer (LCP) fibers,ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers, nylon fibers,polyphenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) fibers, glass fibers and steelfibers.
 4. The wearable guard of claim 1 wherein the at least one insertis removably retained by the at least one pocket.
 5. The wearable guardof claim 1, wherein the pocket includes the cut-resistant material. 6.The wearable guard of claim 1, wherein the wearable piece of clothing isconfigured to be worn about a neck, a wrist or on a torso of the wearer.7. The wearable guard of claim 6, wherein the wearable piece of clothingis a shirt configured to be worn on the torso of the wearer, thecut-resistant material is provided in at least a neck portion of theshirt, and the at least one insert is retained at least in the neckportion of the shirt.
 8. The wearable guard of claim 6, wherein thewearable piece of clothing is a shirt configured to be worn on the torsoof the wearer, the cut-resistant material is provided in at least awrist portion of the shirt, and the at least one insert is retained inat least the wrist portion of the shirt.
 9. The wearable guard of claim6, wherein the wearable piece of clothing is a neck guard configured tobe worn about the neck of the wearer, the cut-resistant material isprovided in at least a neck portion of the neck guard, and the at leastone insert is retained in at least the neck portion of the neck guard.10. The wearable guard of claim 9, wherein the neck guard furthercomprises at least one of a skirt and a bib configured to be worn over aportion of a torso of the wearer, wherein the cut-resistant material isfurther provided in the at least one of the skirt and the bib, andwherein the at least one insert is further retained in the at least oneof the skirt and the bib.
 11. The wearable guard of claim 6, wherein thewearable piece of clothing is a wrist guard to be worn about the wristof the wearer, the cut-resistant material is provided in at least awrist portion of the wrist guard, and the at least one insert isretained at least in the wrist portion of the wrist guard.
 12. Thewearable guard of claim 1, wherein the impact-resistant material is asoft and flexible material capable of absorbing or dispersing energyupon impact.
 13. The wearable guard of claim 6, wherein the insert isshaped to conform to the neck, wrist or torso of the wearer.
 14. Thewearable guard of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises a tab designedto protrude from the at least one pocket when the insert is inserted inthe at least one pocket, the tab being graspable for removing the insertfrom the at least one pocket.
 15. The wearable guard of claim 1, whereinthe insert has a variable thickness, the insert being thicker in atleast one portion of the insert to be worn over a more fragile area ofthe wearer.
 16. The wearable guard of claim 15, wherein the at least onethicker portion has a thickness of about 8 mm, and wherein a remainderof the insert has a thickness of about 4 mm.
 17. The wearable guard ofclaim 1, wherein the insert has a thickness of about 4 mm.